Passport/Visa Requirements: Passports, sufficient funds and proof of onward passage required by citizens of Canada and the U.S. Visas required of U.S. citizens. (Visa applications or extension forms can be downloaded at http://www.gambiaembassy.us.)
Reconfirm travel document requirements with carrier before departure. The departure tax is US$20 (it may be included in your airfare).
Population: 1,595,086.
Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula..
Predominant Religions: Muslim, Christian, Animist..
Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts. Rectangular three-pin African adaptors are widely available in the country.
Telephone Codes: 220, country code;
For More Information
Tourist OfficesThe Gambia: The Gambia National Tourist Office, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, New Administration Building, The Quadrangle, Banjul. Phone 220-229-563. Fax 220-227-753.
The Gambia does not have a tourist office in the U.S. or Canada.
The Gambia Embassies
Canada: Consulate for the Republic of The Gambia, 255 Beverly Ave., Montreal, PQ H3P 1KB. Phone 514-731-5775. Fax 514-731-4374. There is also a consulate in Toronto.
U.S.: Embassy of The Gambia, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005. Phone 202-785-1399. Fax 202-785-1430. http://www.gambiaembassy.us. There is also a U.N. Mission in New York: 820 Second Ave., Suite 900-C, New York, NY 10017. Phone: 212-949-6640
Foreign Embassies in The Gambia
Canada is represented by its embassy in Senegal: 45 Ave. de la Republique, Dakar, Senegal. Phone 221-239-290. Fax 221-238-749.
U.S. Embassy, Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia. Phone 220-392-856 or 220-392-858. Fax 220-392-475.
Additional Reading
A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal by Clive Barlow, Tim Wacher and Tony Disley (Yale University Press).
Roots by Alex Haley (Doubleday). The novel tells the story of four generations of the author's family, from its beginning in Juffure, The Gambia.
